1. Field of Endeavor to which the Invention Pertains
The invention pertains to an adjustable bed lift mechanism that raises and lowers the head and leg elevations in beds as desired.
2. Description of Information Known to the Inventor, Including References to Specific Documents Related to the Invention, and Specific Problems Involved in the State of Technology that the Invention is Drawn Toward
Adjustable bed frames, also called power adjustable bases or power beds, have become a commonplace convenience in bedrooms. The ability to raise and lower the head and legs elevations in beds have many proven benefits and comfort qualities. Typical power adjustable bed frames can lift anywhere from 450 to 800 pounds of evenly distributed weight in a bed.
The construction and design of these adjustable bed frames is nearly universally the same, consisting of a free-standing bed frame structure (typically steel tube) with 4 or 6 legs. The bed frame structure contains articulating head and feet platform sections mounted on pivots to the main frame. These articulating head and foot sections are motion controlled via linear actuators that connect from the main stationary frame and push or pull to create the platform movement.
The idealized use of a linear actuator would have the actuating force applied normal to the pivoting platform section being articulated. However, due to space clearance restrictions under these bed frames and length of required articulation, the linear actuators are typically pushing or pulling at an angle to the required motion thus not translating 100% of their force into the direction of motion. Additionally, due the same under-bed clearance restrictions, these actuators typically have short stroke lengths, such as five inches to eight inches, which must move the articulating portions of the frame distances up to three times or more the stroke length.
These issues combine to create a highly inefficient translation of actuator force into the desired direction of motion, as well as a large space claim for actuator components below the surface of the mattress. This inefficiency requires the actuators used in typical adjustable beds to have massive amounts of push/pull force (typically 6000 newtons or higher) in order for the articulating portions of the platforms to achieve their specified lifting force for each head or foot section (typically 1100 to 1700 newtons) in the direction of desired motion. This force requirement causes the actuators to be quite large and bulky. This bulkiness also contributes to the total space requirement of the bed frame and weight.
Most adjustable bed frames weigh between 120 and 200 lbs. and are very bulky to transport. This restricts delivery methods for most adjustable bed frame products to freight delivery. Freight delivery is generally very inconvenient for consumers, requiring delivery window appointments, being expensive, and generally much slower than courier parcel delivery.
Due to great weight and bulkiness of current adjustable bed frame products, at the time of delivery it may also take two workers to move the product into the bedroom and set it up, adding to the cost of the delivery and inconvenience to the consumer of having unknown people in their bedrooms. As can be appreciated, such weight, transportation and handling problems constitute deficiencies with conventional adjustable bed products.
A broad range of furniture style ornamental bedframes exist that consumers find desirable for their bedrooms. Current adjustable bed frame types are stand-alone mattress frames, with their own legs and mattress support structures. Because of this, many adjustable bed frames are not compatible with existing furniture style bedframes—requiring consumers to forgo a chosen furniture style of bedframe in favor of the limited styles available in current power adjustable bed frames.
Some adjustable bed frames claim to fit inside furniture style bed frames. However, in most of these cases consumers must modify or cut holes in the pre-existing furniture style bedframe using tools in order to make the adjustable bed frame legs and platform fit. Platform beds with storage drawers underneath the mattress are impossible to modify for use with any adjustable bed frame with legs.
Because of the above limitations of the existing adjustable bed frame technology, an improved type of adjustable bed frame product with a novel design would be desirable to consumers.
Conventional adjustable bed frames all have the actuators mounted at a significant angle away from the mattress platform, in order to gain enough force angle and moment arm to lift the bed. A larger force angle away from the mattress platform corresponds to a greater percentage of actuator force being converted into bed lifting force. The idealized lift angle would be normal to the mattress platform, but space constraints prevent this. The common adjustable bed lifting mechanism becomes completely non-feasible for lifting if the actuator is placed nearly parallel to the mattress surface (in order to achieve a low profile).
It is desired to provide an adjustable bed product that improves on the industry standard approach in adjustable beds by forgoing the free standing adjustable bed frame approach. Instead, such an improvement to the conventional adjustable bed product should be thin and have a nearly unnoticeable mechanical powered layer that slips in between any pre-existing mattress and bed frame or box spring combination, while providing the same articulation capabilities of the conventional adjustable bed frame. Thus, any existing bed frame style (including a mattress sitting on the floor) can be converted into fully adjustable capability without modification by inserting such an improved adjustable bed product underneath the mattress.